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Chris Columbus

Chris Columbus

Producer, director and writer, also actor · Born September 10, 1958 (68) · Spangler, Pennsylvania, USA

BAFTA Award winner · Oscar nominee · 2 other major award bodies

Christopher Joseph Columbus (born September 10, 1958) is an American filmmaker. Born in Spangler, Pennsylvania, Columbus studied film at New York University's Tisch School of the Arts where he developed an interest in filmmaking. After writing screenplays for several teen comedies in the mid-1980s, including Gremlins, The Goonies, and Young Sherlock Holmes, he made his directorial debut with a teen adventure, Adventures in Babysitting(1987). Columbus gained recognition soon after with the highly successful Christmas comedy Home Alone (1990) and Home Alone 2: Lost in New York (1992). The comedy Mrs. Doubtfire (1993), starring Robin Williams, was another box-office success for Columbus. He went on to direct several other films throughout the 1990s, which were mostly met with lukewarm reception. However, he found commercial success again by directing the film adaptations of J. K. Rowling's novels Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone (2001) and its sequel, Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (2002). In addition to directing, Columbus was a producer for Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (2004), as well as the drama The Help(2011). He also directed the fantasy Percy Jackson & the Olympians: The Lightning Thief(2010) and the 3D action comedy Pixels (2015). Columbus is the co-founder of 1492 Pictures, a film production company that has produced some of his films since 1995. More recently, he co-founded another production firm with his daughter in 2014 called Maiden Voyage Pictures. In 2017, he launched ZAG Animation Studios, alongside Michael Barnathan, Haim Saban, and Jeremy Zag. Columbus is also known for his collaboration with composer John Williams, with whom he had worked on the film Home Alone and the film series Harry Potter. Description above from the Wikipedia article Chris Columbus, licensed under CC-BY-SA, full list of contributors on Wikipedia.

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Biography from TMDB.

Born
September 10, 1958 (68)
From
Spangler, Pennsylvania, USA
Works as
Producer, director and writer, also actor
Titles
55 on MovieCove · 67 credits in all
Links
IMDb (opens in a new tab)TMDB (opens in a new tab)Wikidata (opens in a new tab)

Known for

TMDB popularity, last 155 days to Oct 26Up 1% in 30 days

What are Chris Columbus' films like?

Across their 53 MovieCove titles with a thematic analysis, their films lean Bonds and Self.

Genres

Adventure15 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 75th percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Adventure movies
Comedy13 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 52nd percentile
: browse their Comedy movies
Drama12 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 75th percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Drama movies
Documentary5 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 82nd percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Documentary movies
Action3 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 26th percentile
: browse their Action movies
Animation3 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 31st percentile
: browse their Animation movies
Fantasy2 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 86th percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Fantasy movies

Their MovieCove films by primary genre. The badge is the typical Midcredits score of the genre's films, the median percentile; an up arrow marks a genre at or above their average across these genres.

Themes

share of theme weight
Bonds
38%
Self
19%
Society
15%
Morality
13%
Survival
7%
Power
4%
Ideas
4%
Family bonds23 titles, browse their movies with this themeFriendship10 titles, browse their movies with this themeCommunity11 titles, browse their movies with this themeComing of age8 titles, browse their movies with this themeIdentity7 titles, browse their movies with this themeRomantic love7 titles, browse their movies with this themeSelf-worth7 titles, browse their movies with this themeRedemption6 titles, browse their movies with this theme

What they feel like to watch

their average across 53 films
ToneFeelDemandtheir average · filled zone: the category
Serious: How heavy the subject matter and outlook get. Browse their serious movies.
Tone · Weight
lightdark

A split, not a type: Light 28 · Serious 14 · Dark 11

Stylized: How far its world departs from everyday reality. Browse their stylized movies.
Tone · Style
naturalisticheightened

A split, not a type: Grounded 24 · Stylized 19 · Heightened 10

Charged: How hard the emotional peaks hit while you watch. Browse their charged movies.
Feel · Intensity
gentleintense

Gentle 14 · Charged 30 · Intense 9

Shifting: How much it swings between very different feelings. Browse their shifting movies.
Feel · Swings
steadyswings

A split, not a type: Steady 24 · Shifting 23 · Whiplash 6

Some laughs: How much of the runtime is played for laughs. Browse their some laughs movies.
Feel · Humor
noneconstant

Straight-faced 16 · Some laughs 21 · Funny 16

Even-paced: How fast it moves from scene to scene. Browse their even-paced movies.
Demand · Pace
slowrelentless

Slow burn 24 · Even-paced 26 · Relentless 3

Casual: How much focus it asks of you — look away and lose the thread? Browse their casual movies.
Demand · Attention
casualfull focus

Casual 28 · Engaged 19 · Full focus 6

Affecting: How much it costs you emotionally; whether you need recovery time. Browse their affecting movies.
Demand · Emotional cost
easyheavy

A split, not a type: Easy watch 27 · Affecting 16 · Heavy 10

Resolved: How much is left for you to interpret. Browse their resolved movies.
Demand · Resolution
resolvedambiguous

Resolved 41 · Open-ended 9 · Ambiguous 3

Moods and endings

endings are an aggregate; no title is named

Dominant moods · mentions across their titles

Tense
23
Joyful
18
Melancholic
18
Warm
20
Hopeful
17
Other
55

How their films linger

Feel-good25 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteHopeful25 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteFun19 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteBittersweet13 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteHaunting8 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteThought-provoking7 titles, browse their movies with this aftertaste

How their films end · 5 with a twist

  • Happy26
  • Bittersweet21
  • Tragic1
  • Ambiguous5

AI-generated from each title's plot synopsis and cast list, with extra plot summaries, reviews and Parents Guide notes for titles the model may not know, and the model's own knowledge of the ones it recognizes. Only analyzed titles count, so this covers part of the filmography; the feel axes count films only for now.

Where can I watch Chris Columbus' films?

As of October 24, 2026, 45 of their 55 MovieCove titles stream on a subscription or free service, most on Disney+ (14).

Also on these channels

Subscription and free streaming for Chris Columbus' titles on MovieCove; rent and buy are not counted. Titles are listed by Midcredits score, highest first, at most 12 per service; a dashed chip is a producer credit or a minor one, such as a thanks. A service opens the browse page, which counts movies only, so its number can differ.

Filmography

67 credits, 55 with a MovieCove page; 14 appearances as themselves are hidden until asked for.

  • Gremlins 3 (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2027)

    Director · Original Film Writer · Producer

  • Werwulf (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2026)

    Executive Producer

  • The President's Cake(2025)

    Executive Producer

    Midcredits score: 97th percentile of all films

  • The Voyage Out (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2025)

    Executive Producer

  • The Thursday Murder Club(2025)

    Director · Producer

    Midcredits score: 62nd percentile of all films

  • Nosferatu(2024)

    Producer

    Midcredits score: 82nd percentile of all films

  • Dìdi(2024)

    Executive Producer

    Midcredits score: 92nd percentile of all films

  • Chupa(2023)

    Producer

    Midcredits score: 26th percentile of all films

  • Night at the Museum: Kahmunrah Rises Again(2022)

    Executive Producer

    Midcredits score: 16th percentile of all films

  • The Exiles(2022)

    Executive Producer

    Midcredits score: 82nd percentile of all films

  • Cusp(2021)

    Executive Producer

    Midcredits score: 36th percentile of all films

  • The Christmas Chronicles: Part Two(2020)

    Director · Producer · Screenplay

    Midcredits score: 41st percentile of all films

  • Yes, God, Yes(2019)

    Executive Producer

    Midcredits score: 45th percentile of all films

  • Scoob!(2020)

    Executive Producer

    Midcredits score: 31st percentile of all films

  • The Lighthouse(2019)

    Executive Producer

    Midcredits score: 92nd percentile of all films

  • The Christmas Chronicles(2018)

    Producer

    Midcredits score: 78th percentile of all films

  • I Kill Giants(2017)

    Producer

    Midcredits score: 54th percentile of all films

  • Patti Cake$(2017)

    Producer

    Midcredits score: 70th percentile of all films

  • Menashe(2017)

    Executive Producer

    Midcredits score: 67th percentile of all films

  • It Had to Be You(2015)

    Executive Producer

    Midcredits score: 36th percentile of all films

  • Tallulah(2016)

    Producer

    Midcredits score: 72nd percentile of all films

  • The Young Messiah(2016)

    Producer

    Midcredits score: 45th percentile of all films

  • The Witch(2015)

    Executive Producer

    Midcredits score: 83rd percentile of all films

  • Mediterranea(2015)

    Producer

    Midcredits score: 73rd percentile of all films

  • Pixels(2015)

    Director · Producer

    Midcredits score: 26th percentile of all films

  • Night at the Museum: Secret of the Tomb(2014)

    Producer

    Midcredits score: 46th percentile of all films

  • Little Accidents(2014)

    Executive Producer

    Midcredits score: 31st percentile of all films

  • Percy Jackson: Sea of Monsters(2013)

    Executive Producer

    Midcredits score: 28th percentile of all films

  • Applebaum (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2012)

    Director · Executive Producer

  • The Help(2011)

    Producer

    Midcredits score: 98th percentile of all films

  • French Exchange (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2011)

    Executive Producer

  • Percy Jackson & the Olympians: The Lightning Thief(2010)

    Director · Producer

    Midcredits score: 38th percentile of all films

  • The Cove(2009)

    Thanks

    Midcredits score: 99th percentile of all films

  • I Love You, Beth Cooper(2009)

    Director · Producer

    Midcredits score: 21st percentile of all films

  • Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian(2009)

    Producer

    Midcredits score: 40th percentile of all films

  • Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer(2007)

    Executive Producer

    Midcredits score: 24th percentile of all films

  • Night at the Museum(2006)

    Producer

    Midcredits score: 64th percentile of all films

  • Rent(2005)

    Director · Producer

    Midcredits score: 79th percentile of all films

  • Fantastic Four(2005)

    Executive Producer

    Midcredits score: 29th percentile of all films

  • Christmas with the Kranks(2004)

    Producer · Screenplay

    Midcredits score: 32nd percentile of all films

  • Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban(2004)

    Producer

    Midcredits score: 99th percentile of all films

  • Building a Scene (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2003)

    Actor

  • Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets(2002)

    Director · Executive Producer

    Midcredits score: 94th percentile of all films

  • Capturing the Stone: A Conversation with the Filmmakers (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2002)

    Actor

  • Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone(2001)

    Director · Executive Producer

    Midcredits score: 96th percentile of all films

  • Monkeybone(2001)

    Executive Producer

    Midcredits score: 16th percentile of all films

  • Bicentennial Man(1999)

    Director · Producer

    Midcredits score: 77th percentile of all films

  • Stepmom(1998)

    Director · Producer

    Midcredits score: 79th percentile of all films

  • Jingle All the Way(1996)

    Producer

    Midcredits score: 37th percentile of all films

  • Nine Months(1995)

    Director · Producer · Screenplay

    Midcredits score: 25th percentile of all films

  • Mrs. Doubtfire(1993)

    Director

    Midcredits score: 85th percentile of all films

  • Home Alone 2: Lost in New York(1992)

    Director · as Man in Toy Store (uncredited)

    Midcredits score: 77th percentile of all films

  • Only the Lonely(1991)

    Director · Screenplay

    Midcredits score: 52nd percentile of all films

  • Home Alone(1990)

    Director

    Midcredits score: 96th percentile of all films

  • Gremlins 2: The New Batch(1990)

    Characters

    Midcredits score: 63rd percentile of all films

  • Little Nemo: Adventures in Slumberland(1989)

    Screenplay

    Midcredits score: 82nd percentile of all films

  • Heartbreak Hotel(1988)

    Director · Writer

    Midcredits score: 32nd percentile of all films

  • Adventures in Babysitting(1987)

    Director

    Midcredits score: 78th percentile of all films

  • Galaxy High School (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1986)

    Show 1 episode · Creator · Writer

  • Young Sherlock Holmes(1985)

    Screenplay

    Midcredits score: 75th percentile of all films

  • The Goonies(1985)

    Screenplay

    Midcredits score: 95th percentile of all films

  • Gremlins(1984)

    Writer

    Midcredits score: 89th percentile of all films

  • Reckless(1984)

    Writer

    Midcredits score: 50th percentile of all films

  • I Think I'm Going to Like it Here (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1980)

    Director

  • 3-D Rocks (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)

    Director

  • A Christmas Carol (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)

    Producer

  • Labyrinth 2 (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)

    Producer

Career shape

A full career of 67 titles, 62 of them dated from 1980 to 2026.

Biggest box office

Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone (2001)

$1B worldwide

Highest rated

Music by John Williams (2024)

Midcredits 99th

Most popular right now

Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone (2001)

By role

only this rolewith another role
Acting3 of 67: 2 only acting, 1 with another roleDirecting21 of 67: 5 only directing, 16 with another role · typical Midcredits score77thWriting13 of 67: 6 only writing, 7 with another role · typical Midcredits score52ndProducing49 of 67: 35 only producing, 14 with another role · typical Midcredits score50thOther crew2 of 67: 1 only other crew, 1 with another role

67 titles, 18 with more than one role — producing and directing overlap on 13 of them.

By decade

1980s9 · crew1990s9 · 1 acting · 9 crew2000s14 · 2 acting · 12 crew2010s18 · crew2020s12 · crew

Counts from TMDB across their full career, self appearances out; a title counts in every role they held on it. The ring is the typical Midcredits score (the median percentile) of the role's titles that are on MovieCove, shown from 5 scored.

Awards

a BAFTA Award from 10 major nominations, 2002–2018.

WinNomination
  1. 2018
    • Independent Spirit Award, nominated · Best First Feature
  2. 2016
    • Independent Spirit Award, nominated · Best First Feature
  3. 2012
    • Oscar, nominated · Best Motion Picture of the Year
    • BAFTA Award, nominated · Best Film
    • +1 other major body · 1 nomination
      • Producers Guild Award, nominated · Outstanding Producer of Theatrical Motion Pictures
  4. 2005
    • BAFTA Award, nominated
  5. 2004
    • BAFTA Award, won · Best Feature Film
  6. 2003
    • BAFTA Award, nominated · Best Feature Film
  7. 2002
    • BAFTA Award, nominated · Best Feature Film
    • BAFTA Award, nominated

Major bodies only: the Oscars, Primetime Emmys, Golden Globes, BAFTAs and Screen Actors Guild Awards are named; Cannes, Venice, the Berlinale, Sundance, the directors', writers' and producers' guilds, the Grammys, Critics Choice and the Independent Spirit Awards count as other major bodies. Festival and regional prizes are not counted. Source: IMDb.

How do Chris Columbus' films land?

Their typical MovieCove film has a Midcredits score in the 64th percentile, the median of all 55; across their 53 films with reception data, the typical film sits in the 71st percentile for acclaim.

Acclaim · how much people like their films

71stpercentile
Typical film, the median of 53

Approval · how many liked their films

65thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 53

Reach · how many have seen their films

94thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 53

Midcredits score across 55 titles, by percentile

  • 75th and up23
  • 50th to 74th10
  • 25th to 49th18
  • Below 25th4

Shape of the crowd

24 of their 55 titles are Crowd Pleasers.

  • Universally Loved8
  • Cult Classic3
  • Crowd Pleaser24
  • Broadly Agreed5
  • Mixed15

Most divisive · producer

The Young Messiah (2016)

82nd percentile spread · 26% rated it 4 or lower

Most loved · producer

Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (2004)

Midcredits 99th · 89% liked

Reviewers score the atmosphere 67/100 and the pacing 47/100 in their films, across 51 reviewed titles. The element that speaks to their work as a director.

Percentiles are each film's standing among all films on MovieCove; the typical film is the median, so one outlier cannot drag it. Percentiles and reviewer scores count the films IMDb credits them on, for now; the Midcredits score bands, the shape of the crowd and the two cards count their MovieCove titles, shows included (a show ranked among shows), appearances as themselves left out. A descriptor is the shape of a title's IMDb rating distribution against the catalog; "most divisive" needs a spread wider than half of all titles, and a card names only a principal credit: a craft role, and on a show a crew role or a run of episodes, never a courtesy credit or a one-off guest spot.

Is Chris Columbus' work okay for kids?

Across up to 37 MovieCove titles with content scores, every category sits near the median of all films.

Their medianMedian of all filmsMiddle 80% of their titles
Violence & Gore35 titles19–62 · median 36 · moderatenear the median of all filmsMedian of all films: 44
Sex & Nudity37 titles7–53 · median 22 · mildnear the median of all filmsMedian of all films: 32
Profanity35 titles21–60 · median 32 · mildnear the median of all filmsMedian of all films: 36
Alcohol & Drugs35 titles6–45 · median 26 · mildnear the median of all filmsMedian of all films: 33
Frightening / Intense35 titles17–63 · median 38 · moderatenear the median of all filmsMedian of all films: 39

Severity 0–100 from the Content Guide. Categories with under 10 votes on a title are not counted. The band's colour is the severity of their median, named beside it.

Who does Chris Columbus work with?

People who share at least 2 of Chris Columbus' MovieCove titles, grouped by what they did on them; Mark Radcliffe shares the most, 23.

Directors

Writers

Actors

Composers, cinematographers and editors

Producers

  • Mark Radcliffe23 titles    See newest 12 of 23 shared titles with Mark Radcliffe
  • Michael Barnathan20 titles · 19 as producer    See newest 12 of 20 shared titles with Michael Barnathan
  • Eleanor Columbus14 titles    See newest 12 of 14 shared titles with Eleanor Columbus
  • Frank Marshall4 titles    See all 4 shared titles with Frank Marshall

Mixed roles